Chapter 167: Media Feedback

Butch's miraculous escape, after enduring a bizarre and harrowing day with his girlfriend, concludes with the 'gold watch' segment.

The story continues, but the plot returns to the apartment of the rebellious youths visited by Vincent and Jules at the beginning.

Hidden in the bathroom, one of the youths jumps out unexpectedly while Vincent and Jules are unprepared, firing wildly but hitting nothing. Jules takes this as a miracle, prompting thoughts of retirement, while Vincent insists it was mere chance. Amidst their argument, they accidentally kill an undercover agent, splattering blood all over the car interior.

To avoid police interception, Jules rushes to a friend named Jimmy's house nearby for help. The unruly Jimmy is indifferent to the blood-soaked duo and the headless corpse in the car, only fretting about his wife Bonnie's reaction when she returns from her night shift, adding a strong sense of absurdity that leaves the audience amused.

Mr. Wolfe then makes an appearance, finally revealing the much-anticipated character played by Robert Redford.

A few men solemnly deal with the corpse to avoid trouble for Jimmy's wife upon her return, pushing the film's absurdity to its limit. This leads film critics to understand why the last segment is titled 'The Bonnie Situation'.

Bonnie, an ordinary night nurse who never appears on screen, becomes a key factor driving the dark comedy's plot, far beyond normal reasoning.

After disposing of the body, Vincent and Jules opt for a meal at a roadside diner, where they unexpectedly encounter a robbery by characters played by Madonna and Sean Penn, known as 'Honey Bunny' and 'Pumpkin', bringing the plot to a perfectly circular close.

As the ending credits slowly rise, Mike Meadow scans the auditorium once more, his heightened emotions finally settling down a bit.

At the Cannes Film Festival, it's common for audiences to leave en masse, either due to a film's poor quality or disagreement with its premise. Mike Meadow had been worried that "Pulp Fiction's" explicit violence and drug scenes might alienate viewers.

However, at the end of the screening, the Lumière auditorium, capable of seating over two thousand people, remained full. Clearly, a worst-case scenario did not occur.

With over two thousand attendees, not everyone may have liked "Pulp Fiction", but being part of such a sought-after premiere suggests a certain level of professional judgment among filmmakers, media journalists, professional critics, and ordinary moviegoers alike.

Thus, when the lights came on, the venue quickly erupted in enthusiastic applause.

After a brief thank-you, the audience began to leave, and Simon and other key creators moved to an adjacent hall for the routine post-premiere press conference. Nearing noon, without wasting time, reporters eagerly raised their hands as soon as everyone was seated.

The host picked a bespectacled, brown-haired man who clearly looked French. Taking the microphone, he spoke in English with a slight accent: "Mr. Westerlo, I'm Vincent Fécy from 'Cinema Manual'. First off, I must say, 'Pulp Fiction' is another stunning work of yours, breaking free from the stylistic confines of 'Run Lola Run'. The cinematography, soundtrack, and narrative techniques all show significant innovation. However, I'm curious, what exactly is this film trying to convey?"

Simon, after listening, leaned a bit closer to the mic and said, "Thank you for your appreciation, Vincent. And please, just call me Simon, I'm only twenty, and 'Mr. Westerlo' feels a bit odd."

With a light laugh from the audience, Simon continued: "As for your question, Vincent, I didn't intend to convey any profound message with this film. As the title 'Pulp Fiction' suggests, I'm just telling stories that one could easily enjoy while sitting on the toilet. Moreover, this film also includes many of my experimental ideas about filmmaking, a comprehensive exercise in narrative and technique. It's not hard to see my homage to classic films in terms of music, shots, and storytelling."

After Simon finished, the 'Cinema Manual' reporter didn't hand back the microphone but quickly asked, "So, Simon, how did you come up with the idea for this film?"

Simon, prepared for this question, replied without hesitation: "This film wasn't the result of a sudden burst of inspiration but rather the culmination of many ideas over time, which is why it's divided into several different stories."

As the host didn't give the microphone back to the reporter, another journalist was chosen.

"I'm Ed Burks from 'World News Report'. Simon, I noticed a lot of barefoot scenes of female characters in the film. Do you have a foot fetish?"

Caught off guard, Simon remembered 'World News Report' was the tabloid involved in the phone hacking scandal, understanding why such a question was asked.

Facing the curious and somewhat mocking gaze from the audience, Simon chuckled and said, "I appreciate all beautiful things, like the expression on Maggie's face when she pouts at Sean, Nicole's bangs, Jenny's eyes, etc., oh, and my girlfriend's hands. Didn't you notice? My girlfriend's hands are also beautiful; I even gave them a close-up."

With limited space on stage and being just a cameo, Jenny wasn't seated there.

At that moment.

Hearing Simon Westerlo suddenly flaunt his relationship publicly, the reporters chuckled and turned their gaze towards Jenny, standing with Mike Meadow and others at the backstage exit. The usually carefree woman blushed under the intense scrutiny and quickly turned to flee backstage.

After the 'World News Report' reporter's interruption, the press conference returned to its main agenda, with reporters gradually shifting their questions to Redford, Travolta, and others.

Half an hour later, the press conference concluded, marking the end of Simon's main mission at Cannes. As "Pulp Fiction" had other screenings scheduled, Simon no longer needed to attend personally, allowing the main supporting actors who had come for the festival to leave Cannes.

Following the premiere, mainstream newspapers quickly published media feedback on "Pulp Fiction".

Despite Simon's humble demeanor at the press conference, it didn't stop "Pulp Fiction" from rapidly gaining positive acclaim. 'Variety' from across the ocean unabashedly praised it as 'a lavish display of Westerlo's cinematic talent'.

The film's lighting, innovative closed-loop narrative structure, numerous memorable characters, and many other details became hot topics among the media.

Of course, no film is without its critics.

Amidst overwhelming praise, some media criticized "Pulp Fiction" for its excessive violence and borrowing from other films, but these critiques barely made waves.

"Pulp Fiction's" composite media score quickly emerged at 4.3, slightly lower than Polish director Kieślowski's "Short Film About Killing" at 4.6, but Simon was relieved upon seeing this score.

It's well-known that the highest-rated films at Cannes, while unlikely to leave empty-handed, rarely win the Palme d'Or. To Simon, a 4.3 score seemed just right.

At a mansion atop the Le Cannet district.

It was the evening of the next day, with several cars arriving from various parts of Cannes.

Having bought a house in Cannes, Simon, after consulting with Jenny, prepared a small party for the evening, inviting only close acquaintances for a casual gathering.

Around 7:30 PM, as the outdoor sky darkened, Jennifer knocked on the study door, entered the spacious room filled with sketchpads showcasing rough but vivid movie concept art, and approached Simon by the window easel, waiting a moment before softly saying, "Boss, everyone's here."

"Almost done," Simon added a few strokes to a concept sketch of Batman jumping from a tumbling vehicle to another, then turned to ask Jennifer, "What do you think?"

Jennifer tilted her head, envisioning the thrilling scene of Batman escaping a rolling car to leap onto another speeding vehicle, and said, "This, it's going to be quite dangerous to film."

Simon nodded, "We'll break it down as much as possible. If CG technology is up to par, we can use special effects to fill in some details. That should be enough."

Jennifer added, "And we'll need stunt doubles."

"That's unavoidable," Simon agreed, putting down his brush, washing his hands in the next room, and joining Jennifer in the villa's main hall.

Seeing Simon, everyone turned their attention to him, and he casually engaged in conversation with Mike Meadow, Robert Redford, and others. It was just a casual gathering with no formalities, and the party began as soon as Simon, the host, made his appearance.

The living room filled with relaxed music as people formed small groups, chatting, drinking, and eating in a laid-back atmosphere.

"'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' has resumed broadcasting. In recent days, over 70 production companies have reached agreements with the writers' guild. Simon, the strike might end by the end of the month. I've already arranged with NBC; they're willing to dedicate an episode to 'Pulp Fiction's' creators on the 31st. You shouldn't have any scheduling conflicts, right?" Mike Meadow whispered to Simon, holding a champagne glass in the living room.

Aware that the writers' strike wouldn't end so easily and that compromises from second and third-tier production companies would only provoke a stronger backlash from the major studios, Simon didn't share his views, simply nodding, "Of course, I'll be back by the 25th at the latest, might even stay in New York for a while."

Mike Meadow smiled, "Regarding those reality shows your company is producing?"

"Yes," Simon confirmed, knowing such matters couldn't be kept secret after openly presenting them to TV networks.

Mike Meadow paused before adding, "Simon, I've heard your reality shows don't require writers. Under normal circumstances, this might not be an issue, but given the current situation, this could potentially antagonize the writers' guild."

Simon shrugged helplessly, "Mike, if it weren't for this moment, do you think the major TV networks would consider Danerys Productions' TV programs?"

"No," Mike Meadow admitted, shaking his head.

Even Orion Pictures only recently started a TV division, highlighting the challenges of breaking into TV production.

Danerys Productions, while successful in film, hadn't yet proven itself in the TV domain. Even if major networks were interested, they wouldn't offer favorable terms.

Thus, the current Hollywood writers' strike, with TV networks desperate for content, presented an optimal opportunity for Danerys Productions to enter the TV production field. Missing out would mean slowly building credibility or spending a fortune to buy a TV production company for an entry ticket.

"So, offending the writers' guild is a necessary risk. I can't miss this opportunity," Simon spread his hands, then asked, "Mike, your company isn't planning to reach an early agreement with the guild, right?"

Mike Meadow smartly shook his head, "Our main focus is on movies; there's no need for that."

Everyone understood the real reason, but Simon didn't press further.

Smaller film companies compromising with the guild was mainly for survival; without business for half a year, they'd likely shut down under the current economic conditions.

Orion Pictures might not fare much better, but being less dependent on TV revenues and its founders' experience in Hollywood, they knew compromising early could lead to repercussions.

As they were talking, Madonna, in a black low-cut evening gown, approached with a glass of wine, greeting Mike Meadow before asking, "What are you two discussing?"

"Good evening, Ms. Ciccone," Mike Meadow greeted Madonna warmly before excusing himself, "Just some trivial matters. I need to discuss promotional activities with Travolta. Please, continue."

After Mike Meadow left, Simon looked around before asking Madonna, "Where's Sean?"

Madonna glanced at Simon, "Is Sean more attractive than me?"

Simon explained, "I was just curious why he didn't come tonight."

"Sean had an audition; he flew back to Los Angeles last night," Madonna continued to focus on Simon, "So, now it's just me."

This translation captures the essence of the original Chinese text while adapting it to American English, maintaining the narrative flow and cultural nuances.

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